The Long Way
by Gothic984
Summary: After witnessing some strange behaviour from Caleb, Lucas decides a family vacation is in order.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Two Can Play That Game.

It was a cool late evening in Trinity South Carolina and the moon shone high in the sky, providing a welcome illumination for the residents who braved this eerie time of night. A soft wind blew through the large trees and the mating call of crickets could be heard from all around, breaking the silence in this secluded part of Town .

Caleb Temple set his bicycle down carefully and stared out at the acres of land before him, with a sad recollection of a time that had long past. It was coming close to his curfew and he was too far away to make it home in time; however, it had been a long time since he had been here and the strong feeling of nostalgia that he was experiencing washed away any concern about being late.

Rose came up quietly behind her friend and peered nervously over his shoulder. She did not know what it was about this place that made her feel so uneasy; however, her instincts were telling her to leave and she knew better than to ignore them.

'Don't be scared, it's just an ol' house' Caleb said calmly, subconsciously reading her mind and scanning the area in front of him.

Rose stared at the burnt out farmhouse and shook her head disapprovingly, her mother had warned her to steer clear of Caleb and she was beginning to understand why. 'I can't believe you did that' she whispered, as though some big bad was going to hear her and jump out from behind a tree.

Caleb sensed her fear and let out a small laugh, he had experienced so much strangeness these past few years that the boogeyman no longer scared him and a part of him welcomed a fight.

Rose did not appreciate him laughing at her and placed her hands firmly on her hips, like she had witnessed her mother do when she was in for a scolding. 'Now you listen here Caleb Temple, I ain't like you and I ain't got Sheriff Buck to protect me' she snapped, unimpressed at this detour.

'I don't need my Daddy' Caleb snapped defensively, sensing the darkness around him and feeling strong in it's presence.

Rose rolled her eyes in frustration and shook her head, he insisted on acting as though he was tough and it was beginning to grate on her. 'He ain't your Daddy Caleb, he's Gail's husband. Your real Daddy's dead and being here at your old home ain't gonna change that' she advised and watched him curiously as he just stared at her blankly.

'Gage ain't my Daddy Rose and this is my place now, at least that's what Lucas said a while ago anyway' Caleb shrugged, then glanced at the large pile of burnt wood where he grew up and considered what potential it had.

Rose stared at him blankly for a moment, unsure of what to make of his statement, then placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. 'I don't care who your Daddy is now, I just wanna go home before I get hidin' of my mom' she advised, concerned at the lateness of the hour and sensing his dismissal of her worry.

Caleb felt a flutter in his stomach as she held on to his shoulder and stared deep into her eyes for a moment, then grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her down his old worn down path. 'Just a little longer I promise! Don't leave me out here on my own, somethin' might happen and you'll never forgive yourself' he said whilst dragging her deeper into the land, feigning an innocent tone.

Rose let out a small laugh and sighed, she hated that he knew exactly how to get to her and resigned herself to a scolding from her mother while she followed Caleb down the muddy path obediently.

* * *

Lucas sat comfortably on his old grandfather chair in front of the large fireplace in his main Study. He had returned home shortly after 6pm to a delicious home cooked meal and now he sat with his pregnant wife on his knee, contemplating what he wanted to do next with his evening. It was not often that they got the whole evening to themselves and he was content here in her company.

Gail took in a sharp breath then bit down on her bottom lip when he took hold of her wrist gently and began trailing kisses up her arm. Lucas had adhered to her wishes not to discuss her condition; however, his hand stroked her stomach at every opportunity he got when they were intimate and she was beginning to think he may actually be happy that she was pregnant.

'Would that be such a bad thing?' he asked, reading her mind while continuing to trail his lips over her soft skin.

Gail cursed herself for getting so relaxed that her guard dropped and let out a low moan when his lips moved to her neck. 'I'm not convinced expanding our family at this moment in time would benefit everyone involved' she advised, thinking about how little she saw of Caleb these days after her announcement at the Mayoral debate and how hard it had gotten to concentrate on her career. Her Editor was becoming increasingly anxious at how much she was neglecting the newspaper and it was hard enough trying to write with one baby, let alone two.

Lucas sensed her concern and lifted his head slightly. 'The only people that matter in this are you and I, everyone and everythin' else will have to fall in line' he said reassuringly and stroked her arm tenderly.

'Oh so you're happy that your eldest is out past his curfew yet again? Or that he rushes off to school so he doesn't have to see us?' she asked, feigning sarcasm to hide her concern over Caleb.

Lucas let out a long sigh when he sensed her demeanour change and felt is twin becoming anxious within him. He was not impressed that their tender moment had turned into a serious conversation; therefore, he nuzzled his head into her neck and nipped her teasingly, in an attempt to distract her from her thoughts. 'The boy's got a crush, you don't scold me for rushin' to spend time with my crush do you?' he asked playfully and bit her neck teasingly.

Gail let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head at his attempt to disregard her concerns. 'I scold you on a daily basis for your inappropriate behaviour and he's not out due to his crush, it's clearly an avoidance tactic and I can't believe you can't see it' she said irritated, unable to hide the judgement from her tone.

Lucas removed his lips from her neck and stopped what he was doing instantly at the change in her tone. She was clearly not going to allow him to continue or let him take away her concerns; therefore, he gave up on his plan of a fun night, let out a frustrated sigh and sat up straight. 'What do you want from me? Shall I leave my fragile pregnant wife and go after him?' he asked in frustration. 'I know I'm Lucas Buck, but for once it would be nice to actually focus on what I want'

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head in disbelief at the comment. She sensed his frustration and glanced over her shoulder at him, ready to snap at his selfishness; however, she saw the utter disappointment on his face at his plans being ruined and instinctively reached over, then stroked his cheek tenderly. 'Did I say you could stop?' she asked in a mock scolding tone, smiling when the realisation set in that she was not closing herself off to him and his look changed from disappointment to excitement.

Lucas sensed her mood shift to the playful Gail that he had fallen for and smiled at her willingness to please him. He wrapped his arms around her stomach and gently pulled her back into him, then moved his hand up her body and squeezed her breast teasingly. 'The boy's fine, put him out your mind and come back to me' he whispered, as he reached up and caressed her cheek tenderly.

Gail leaned back into him and kissed him passionately, allowing him to regain his control. She supposed Caleb would be safe enough for now, as no one would dare mess with Lucas Buck's family and it was not yet late enough to call out a search party.

* * *

Rose stood a few meters away from the burnt down farmhouse and looked up at the sky nervously, as it was getting later and she was out far past her curfew. She did not see herself as a boring or scared girl usually; however, her mother was going to kill her for disobeying a simple rule and her unease at being in this secluded place was growing.

Caleb could sense Rose's concern and disregarded it, he had a strong urge to come here and it did not matter if he was past his curfew. He spotted a dark figure beneath one of the trees and smiled, as he knew who was watching him. Caleb had sensed the presence a while ago and it comforted him, knowing the person did not mean him or Rose any harm.

Rose spotted Caleb's focus shift momentarily to a tree not far from them, she stared in that direction and let off a small shudder when she spotted a dark figure watching them. 'I wanna go home Caleb' she said scared, not sure whether the figure was real or just a figment of her imagination.

'I am home Rose' Caleb advised, not taking his attention away from the wood he was clearing away.

Rose stared at him in disbelief and took a step back, she had grown tired of this game a while ago and was not willing to stay here any longer. 'We need go home now!' she snapped, not appreciating him brushing off her request.

'I told you, I am home' Caleb stated flatly and sensed the dark figure's approval of the statement.

'You wouldn't think I'd taken him in as my own and provided him with a good stable home would you?' Lucas asked sarcastically, appearing behind Rose and watching the children carefully. After he had satisfied his immediate urges with his wife Lucas had decided to see what the delay was before continuing their fun, knowing Gail would not give herself over to him fully while she was worrying about Caleb. He had been intrigued when he sensed his sons location and the statement he witnessed him saying pique his curiosity even more.

Rose stared up at Lucas with relieved eyes and stepped closer to him. She had not liked Caleb's dismissive attitude and just wanted to go home, so she could get the scolding from her mother done with.

'Don't worry petal, I'll smooth this over with that fine mom of yours' he winked at her charmingly, then signalled for her to head towards his car. When she was out of earshot, he turned his full attention towards his eldest and began walking towards him. 'You know you have our mutual love in a state of distress don't you? Is there a reason I've had to leave the comfort of our home to fetch you?' he asked unimpressed.

Caleb let out a small laugh and continued moving the rubble. 'I didn't think she'd be concerned about anythin' but her baby' he shrugged, sensing the dark figure was still present and feeling confident in it's presence.

Lucas stared down at Caleb curiously for a moment, then gripped the collar of his t shirt and pulled him up roughly. 'Our baby, don't you go forgetting that son' he warned sternly, as he sensed an unsettling change in his boy and his protective nature towards his wife took over.

Caleb felt the urge to defy his father, feeling the dark presence close by; however, he came to his senses and suddenly became aware of Gail's worry for him. 'I didn't mean nothin', is she alright?' he asked concerned.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously for a moment, then sensed a strangely familiar presence and regarded Caleb curiously. 'You alone out here son?' he asked intrigued, disregarding the boys question.

Caleb inhaled deeply and shook his head frantically, sensing it was not a good idea to lie to his father, then looked towards Rose as if it was a stupid question.

Lucas glanced over his shoulder at the girl stood by his car holding her bike innocently and let out a long sigh, choosing not to waste anymore of his time on this. 'You disturbed my evenin' son and if Gail's already gone to sleep, there will be somethin' for you to be concerned about' he warned, then pulled Caleb to his car by his collar and signalled for the children to get in.

* * *

Gail paced up and down the long corridors of the mansion, attempting to distract herself from the shadow of unease that had formed in her mind. She had been relieved when Lucas had chosen to leave her and locate Caleb, it was not often that he willingly put his desires to one side and his unwanted action went a long way in reassuring her of his commitment to their family.

Gideon slowly came out from behind a half open door and walked close to her down the corridors, as if guarding his Master. She had not seen him in a while and smiled at him lovingly, grateful for his presence and the security it provided her with, knowing nothing could get close to her with him by her side. Gideon nuzzled his nose against her leg as if to confirm her feelings, then moved in front of her and halted.

Gail stared down at her faithful companion for a moment, then followed his eye line to a closed door and took a step back when she saw a shadow move on the floor, indicating the room was not vacant. Suddenly she heard the faint sound of the front door closing and let out a sigh of relief when she sensed her missing family had returned. She turned around quickly and headed to the main area of the property with Gideon following closely beside her, not wanting to stay in this secluded area of the house any longer.

Lucas sensed Gail's presence from deep within the property before he saw her and pushed Caleb gently in front of him, to get the confrontation over with quickly. He let out an exasperated sigh when he spotted her meddling mutt beside her and watched as Gail approached Caleb slowly, unsure of what she was going to do.

Caleb stared at Gail apologetically, waiting for his scolding; however, Gail just threw her arms around him and held him tight to her chest, showing how worried she had been.

'Why wouldn't you come home?' she asked confused, sensing the conflict within him and not understanding his feelings.

Caleb stared up at her with innocent eyes and shrugged. 'I didn't think I'd be missed considerin'' he whispered.

Gail glanced at Lucas, who was regarding his eldest suspiciously, then let out a long sigh at his lack of concern for his son's comment and turned her attention back to Caleb. 'Don't be so foolish, you know better than that. Have you eaten?' she asked concerned and choosing not to give power to his unfounded comment.

'We got chilli dog's earlier with the lunch money I took this mornin'' he advised, knowing he would be in trouble if he had gone all day without food.

'We?' Gail asked and stared up at Lucas knowingly, disregarding the fact that Caleb had clearly gone into her purse to get money.

'She ain't the one who wanted to stay out late, that genius idea was our boy here and I had to smooth this over with her mom to ensure we didn't have an unwanted visit in the mornin'' Lucas interjected, sensing Gail's disapproval of the young girl and hating that he had to to listen to her boring mother ramble on trying to impress him.

Gail sensed his irritation, pushed aside her disapproval of Rose and laughed. 'I suppose having the most handsome man in Town as your father helps when your friend's mother despises you' she joked.

'It don't help me' Lucas scolded agitated, then let out a long sigh and headed upstairs to check on Luke, too irritated at his boys actions to remain in his company any longer tonight.

Caleb watched Lucas leave and stared down at his shoes nervously. 'He's mad at me' he sighed, sensing his fathers disapproval of him.

'He's mad at his plans being spoiled, but I'll sort that' Gail smiled, then ruffled his hair and winked playfully at him in an attempt to reassure him.

'Ain't you mad?' Caleb asked confused.

'I'm too tired to be anything and think we both just need to get to bed' she advised, sensing Lucas' frustration from upstairs and knowing it would only grow if she did not hurry to continue what they had started earlier.

Caleb headed upstairs with Gail obediently, not wanting to give her a reason to change her mind and scold him for his actions. He was not sure how he had managed to avoid a punishment; however, he would not look a gift horse in the mouth and was just happy that he was able to go to bed without being interrogated.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Merlyn sat in the large spacious office, staring down at the computer screen in front of her. She had just come out of a meeting with Mark, the Editor of the Trinity Guardian and she had sensed his disappointment in the recent article she had written about the recent influx in cow tipping in their community; therefore, she was scanning through her material in the hopes of finding something news worthy to report on.

Merlyn appreciated the faith her cousin had placed in her and her support in getting her this job. She was trying her best to prove her worth; however, she did not know how to uncover secrets like Gail did and even if she actually managed to find something damning, she was not convinced that her conscience would allow her to report on it and she would probably just try to help the people involved.

Her thoughts trailed to her mother and how she liked to help children, she smiled when she pictured her in her mind and a warm feeling flowed through her. Merlyn remembered the good times when her mother used to take her to her sanctuary in Goat Town, the one place that her mother could truly call her own. It was often hot and filled of other children; however, her mother did not care about how much work she had to put in or how exhausted she was, she knew her true calling in life and jumped in without hesitation.

Merlyn missed her mother, she even missed her father Gage despite his faults. When she had been a ghost she had been was able to reconnect with her fallen family, including the Emory's. She had found strength with her family, they had all united in one goal which was to eliminate Lucas Buck and that was her purpose. She had trusted their faith in her and believed she had the strength to overcome everything that may be thrown in her path; however, now all that had been stripped away and she felt like the lost little girl she once was, wanting nothing more than to be held by her mother.

A knock on the door brought Merlyn out of her reverie and she stared blankly at the confident older woman who entered unannounced. If she had been in a better mood she would have scolded her for entering uninvited; however, right now she did not have the strength to challenge anyone and just wanted to curl up in the corner.

'Wow, that bad huh?' Christie asked, noticing the look of despair on the young girl before her.

'As if you care' Merlyn let out a small sigh and continued to focus on the computer screen in front of her. 'Is there somethin' you need?' she asked, forcing a pleasant tone despite not liking Gail's friend.

Christie regarded her carefully for a moment, sensing her lack of self confidence, then approached the desk slowly and perched on the edge. 'This office really is amazing, fitting for an experienced Reporter who can actually write' she stated casually, glancing around the office appreciatively.

'You think it should be yours?' Merlyn asked, finally taking her attention away from the computer.

'I think a true upcomin' Reporter wouldn't be wastin' their time copped up in here...this place is for a veteran of our profession' she shrugged

'Like you?' Merlyn asked flatly, unable to hide the irritation from her tone.

'Like Gail Emory' Christie stated and regarded the girl seriously.

Merlyn could not contain her laughter and stood up from her seated position, then began pacing the office. 'Gail Buck now' she corrected her. 'And she appears to have more pressin' things to concern herself with than this office'

'And that's the problem isn't it? It all went down hill after that union...a promising young driven woman taken down to heel just like that' Christie said clicking her fingers and noted the girls reactions carefully.

Merlyn took in a sharp intake of breath at the comment then forced her demeanour to soften, sensing the subtle interrogation that Christie was trying. 'My cousin made her choices in life and is happily married, that don't involve me' she advised, not allowing herself to be tricked into giving anything away.

Christie stood up and slowly closed the distance between them. 'It's strange' she sighed casually, disregarded the girls response.

'What is?' Merlyn asked in a frustrated tone, growing bored of this exchange.

'You' Christie stated curiously, 'I met Caleb and Matt on my first visit to Trinity, I met the Sheriff and Billy on my second, but you were nowhere to be found. No mention at all about another cousin or close relative, just Caleb...yet she gives up her office and steps aside from her position for you'

Merlyn felt herself become nervous and was attempting to remain calm, she did not like the curious way Christie was regarding her and was struggling to keep her emotions in check. 'You'll find her choices don't involve me and we didn't know about each other back when you were here last, so what?' Merlyn asked, feigning confidence in an attempt to dissuade the woman before her.

Christie laughed and shook her head. 'That's one theory, but we used to write on a weekly basis and she would've mentioned another cousin to her best friend, considerin' how alone she had been for most of her life...You just happen to waltz in and be a Reporter too, yet you sit here for most of the day wallowing in self pity. It's strange the Gail I know would put her faith in someone like that' she advised, truly confused at her best friends choices.

The words hit Merlyn hard and she felt herself becoming upset, she had enough doubt in herself without this woman saying it out loud and she just wanted the ground to swallow her up. Before her tears had a chance to fully form, she pushed past Christie abruptly and exited the office quickly, grabbing her bag on the way out.

Christie watched the girl rush out, sensing how upset she was and cursed herself for being so honest with her statements. It had not been her intention to cause such a reaction and the girls abrupt exit had thrown her. She returned to her work space and grabbed her bag, unwilling to drop this matter and headed towards the elevators.

* * *

Lucas sat in the passenger seat of the police cruiser and took in the peacefulness of his Town. After the antics of his son the previous night, he had been awoken by his wife in a very giving mood and any remaining frustration that she had not eliminated last night after they went to bed was released this morning. He knew Gail was attempting to distract him from Caleb's defiant behaviour and although he was not one to accept people teaming up against him, he was happy that she was taking in his eldest like he was her own.

He had chosen not to allow Gail to take Caleb to school, as he wanted to see if his defiant attitude still remained. There was little conversation in the car and he was pleased to see Caleb fidgeting nervously, indicating that the boy still knew who was boss. After he dropped his son at school, he had driven to the Sheriff's Station and allowed Ben to take charge of their patrol today. His Deputy had been very obedient of late and Lucas felt it was time to shake things up a little, now he was confident that Gail was not taking her pregnancy too hard.

'Another baby huh? The rate you're goin' you'll have 10 before you hit 60' Ben joked, still reeling from the news that Lucas was expecting another child when he had gone for so long without any children he was aware of.

Lucas smiled at the comment and turned towards his friend. 'Well I'll never get bored of consummation friend, I can assure you of that' he smirked and both men laughed.

Ben turned onto Talbot Avenue and continued casually driving down the road. He did not expect much activity today and he was just happy for a leisurely drive.

'Any chance of you and Rita expandin' your family? My newborn will need a good play date when she arrives' Lucas asked casually.

'She? Well we'd have to be doin' somethin' for that and this here is drought season' Ben laughed, trying to hide the bitterness from his tone.

Lucas already knew the status of Ben's relationship without the man going into detail, he had sensed his misery for a while now and his frustration with the matter was obvious. He never understood why people just went through the motions and their willingness to lie down and welcome a mundane existence intrigued him. 'How's the weddin' plannin' goin'? You set a date yet?' he asked, sensing Ben's bitterness at his life and wanting him to let it out.

Ben shrugged and continued to watch the road, not wanting to involve Lucas in his personal life. All he wanted was a carefree existence and if that meant allowing Rita to take charge more often than he would like, he would accept that.

'Aw hell, I've been so caught up with the election and my family that I've neglected you friend' Lucas said, reading Ben's mind and not willing to allow him to fall back into old habits that he had with his ex wife.

Ben felt a surge of terror flow through him at the comment and sat up straight. 'Nah man, it's all good. You got Gail to take care of and she invested in the election...' he started.

'That's a great idea Ben, we'll all get together and hash out these weddin' plans once and for all to distract my wife from her stressful duties...Gail took care of our weddin' and it was epic' Lucas interrupted, amused at the man's concern.

'What? I didn't say that Lucas, I meant you need to take care of Gail and make sure she's relaxed' Ben protested frantically, unsure of how Lucas' attention had suddenly turned to him.

'That's a brilliant idea Benji, you really are on form' Lucas said sarcastically, disregarding Ben's panic. 'We'll head out to Bowers Creek with the family, Gail can put her feet up away from all the hustle and bustle and we'll get back to basics, lettin' the women hash out the weddin' plans together'

Ben opened his mouth to protest again, then closed it when he realised he was only making the matter worse. He shook his head in disbelief at what he had apparently suggested and hoped Rita would not be too mad.

Lucas smiled at how easy it was for him to manipulate any situation and reached for the radio to call his wife.

* * *

Merlyn waited patiently for her latte to be prepared and glanced over the road at the Sheriff's Station, as usual all appeared to be quiet and the trains were running on time just as Lucas Buck liked it in his Town. The thought made Merlyn laugh and she shook her head at how content she had gotten with Lucas' ways.

'It's amazing how people just accept everything isn't it?' Christie asked pleasantly, as she finished paying for her cappuccino and waited beside the girl for her drink.

Merlyn rolled her eyes at the comment and let out a small laugh. 'Why are you houndin' me? What did I ever do to you?' she asked, then forced a smile for the waitress who brought her coffee and just decided to leave to Coffee Shop without waiting for an answer.

As Merlyn walked down Main Street, she spotted Lucas' candidate Peter at the grand reopening of a used car dealership. She watched the plump man with his fake smile greeting the small group residents who had gathered and assumed that this was some tactic to get his face known.

'You look surprised by the gathering, I'd have thought the girl reporting on the election would know the whereabouts of all the candidates involved' Christie said from behind her, rushing to catch up.

Merlyn let out a long sigh at yet another intrusion from this woman and turned towards her. 'You really need to leave me alone, I ain't your science project and if you're lookin' for dirt on Lucas Buck you won't get it from me' she snapped and stood her ground, realising avoiding her would not help right now.

Christie laughed and shook her head. 'Why does everything always come back to that man? You ever wonder whether you're on the outside of somethin' that everyone else knows about?' she asked, contemplating her own place in this Town for a moment.

Merlyn narrowed her eyes at the woman curiously, that was exactly how she felt and it was strange hearing it coming from someone else. 'Lucas Buck is Trinity, I'm you at least know that' she said and glanced over her shoulder at Peter when she heard his pompous loud laugh.

Christie glanced at the plump man with irritation, then took the young girls hand in hers and led her further down the road. 'I really didn't intend to offend you, sometimes my mouth doesn't know when to stop'

Merlyn did not trust the sudden change in Gail's friend; however, she was curious as to what she was trying to do. 'What were your intentions if not to bully me out of the office?' she asked.

'Bullying is such a strong term, it's more accurate to say I'm frustrated at the wasted potential of a young woman, probably much like your cousin' Christie stated and glanced down the quiet road.

'Ok, so you don't want the office and you're not tryin' to push me around but your frustrated with what I'm doin'? Why would you even care what I'm doin' anyway?' Merlyn asked, unsure what to make of the statement.

Christie flagged down a taxi, then reached in her pocket and handed the driver a $20 bill. 'You don't know much about me and Gail, we've been friends for a very long time and have always had offices next to each other. I want my friend back and you clearly aren't as passionate as you should be, if this is your chosen line of work...I suggest you get in, go wherever you need to go and figure what you actually want, before you drag the reputation Gail has staked on you down even further' Christie advised, then left the girl alone to consider her options.

* * *

Gail finished packing some t shirts and jeans for Caleb then closed the suitcase, picked up Luke and let out a long frustrated sigh as she sat on the bed. She had been at the Wicca Store talking strategies with Adam when her husband had called her to deliver the news of their sudden getaway, to say she was unimpressed at this spontaneous vacation was the understatement of the year.

Lucas had insisted that this would just be a long weekend with both families, to assist Ben in his relationship issues. He had played on her closeness to Ben, reminding her of all the times Ben had been there for her and made it impossible for her to refuse his request. She did not trust her husbands apparent sincerity and her emotions were in overdrive at being uprooted, causing her anxiety to spike.

'Are you sure the Sheriff isn't due back soon? He'd go spare if he caught me in your bedroom alone with you' Adam stated nervously.

'This isn't my bedroom it's Caleb's and we're not alone' she advised sarcastically and shifted Luke on her hip, amused at Adam's discomfort. 'Besides, you did insist on accusing me of attempting to get out of our strategy meeting, so here we are'

Adam glanced around the room cautiously and peered out of the window, to ensure there was no sign of the Sheriff. Regardless of what his friend said, he did not trust that this visit would go unpunished if they were caught. 'Who's goin' on this campin' trip anyway? Peter and his family I suppose?' he asked moodily, trying to hide his suspicion at the sudden vacation.

Gail lifted Luke high above her head playfully, then held him to her chest and stood up carefully. 'Not that it's any of your business but it just Ben Healy and his family as far as I'm aware' she shrugged and glanced around the room to see if there was anything she had missed.

Adam glanced at her curiously then laughed and shook his head in disbelief. 'You really believe that's all this is?' he asked knowing the Sheriff would not rest until his candidate was ahead in the public eye, that was obvious with all of Peter's public appearances of late.

Gail glanced over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at Adam in irritation. 'If my husband chooses to make me an unwilling ally in his political stance, believe me when I say his life won't be worth living' she advised flatly, having already considered that possibility and choosing to believe her husband was smarter than that.

Adam regarded her cautiously for a minute, then smiled at her continued support in him. He did not know what he had done to prove himself worthy in her eyes; however, he was thankful that he had her on side. 'Alright, well in that case I hope you have a nice vacation...your timin' sucks but it's long overdue if you ask me' he laughed, then headed out of the bedroom before the Sheriff could catch him here.

Gail forced a pleasant smile and watched him leave, then turned her attention to the strange presence she sensed in this room and let out a long sigh. 'I don't know what your Father is up to, but he better leave us out of it or there'll be hell to pay' she said in a pleasant tone to Luke, then allowed one last suspicious glance around the room before headed to her bedroom to pack their things.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Lucas sat comfortably in the drivers seat of his Crown Victoria and took the winding road confidently, as though he had taken this route a thousand times. Bowers Creek was known for it's summer vacationers and in this scorching weather it would usually be more crowded than he would like for a getaway; however, the crowds would not show up until the weekend and it would give them time to find a secluded area.

He glanced in the rear view mirror at Caleb in the back seat, who was shifting between staring out of the window and playing with his brother. He did not like the boys strange change of attitude the previous night, or the sense of him being watched; therefore, bringing Caleb to a different setting would enable him to monitor the boys behaviour more closely.

Lucas could not say the same for his wife, he had sensed her hostility and her guard firmly up as soon as he pulled up outside of their home. She had been very quiet since the journey started and it was obvious that she did not want to be here. 'I interrupt anythin' important Darlin'?' he asked and squeezed her knee affectionately, in an attempt to engage her.

Gail stared out of the front passenger window longingly, remembering how good it used to feel when her life was all about the open road, then let out a long sigh when her husband brought her back to the present. 'You interrupted a whole host of things that I had planned, but I doubt you're actually concerned about that sweetheart' she forced a sweet tone and continued looking out of the window.

Lucas turned on the radio and glanced in the rear view mirror again, ensuring the children were not listening to them and leaned close to his wife. 'You're right, I couldn't care less about your plans with your Lawyer friend' he whispered discreetly and ran his hand up her thigh slowly, 'How'd he like my boy's bedroom?'

Gail had been waiting for some sort of comment about that, knowing he would have been aware of Adam being in their home and turned her full attention towards him. 'He thought the bed was a little uncomfortable but we made it work' she whispered sarcastically and smiled triumphantly when his look turned to anger.

'You think that's funny?' he whispered abruptly and gripped her thigh tight.

'I think your jealousy is boring' she said quietly as she leaned in closer, took his chin in her hand and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

Lucas saw the amused look on her face and shook off his irritation at her comment, then focused on the large sign they were coming up to. 'Our destination is finally upon us' Lucas smiled and squeezed her thigh playfully.

Gail looked at the sign with disdain and let out a long sigh, as she resigned herself to being trapped in yet another mundane small area.

Caleb stared up at the 'Welcome to Bower's Creek' sign excitedly and took Luke's hand playfully, choosing to disregard the mixed signals he was sensing from the adults in the car. Anywhere was better than being in school and he was looking forward to exploring somewhere different than his usual haunts.

* * *

Merlyn wandered aimlessly through the streets of Goat Town, pondering over her purpose in life. She had decided to take the taxi to Goat Town and visit her cousin at the Wicca Store where Gail spent most of her spare time; however, her cousin was nowhere to be found. She had waited for close to an hour hoping her cousin would return, before heading next door to Abe's Antique Store and being informed that the Buck family had gone on vacation for a few days.

Merlyn thought back to the conversation she had with Abe and smiled at his honesty in the matter.

'That ol' boy had to tell me about his plan so I wouldn't throttle him, thinkin' he chopped my Rosie up and buried her under the patio!' Abe had exclaimed, when she asked why she had not been informed of this sudden vacation.

It was not that Merlyn felt she needed to know everything that went on; however, she was once again left alone with no family to guide her and she was starting to feel unwanted. At least when she was dead she was aiding Caleb, now that she was alive she just plodded through her mundane life doing what people expected of her.

Her mobile telephone rang and she took it out of her pocket quickly hoping it was Gail, when she saw Matt's name light up the screen she hit the disconnect button and continued strolling slowly down the road. She loved Matt, he was her light in such a dark place; however, she found him to be too placid recently. She saw that he was distracted with Gail's pregnancy and this meant that he had less time for her. She would never expect him to drop everything for her and was proud that he had pushed aside his hatred for Lucas to assist her cousin, but it did not help her feelings of loneliness and worthlessness.

Her mobile telephone rang again and she cursed out loud at the sound. She pulled it out of her pocket ready to place it on silent, then took in a sharp intake of breath when she saw the name on the screen. 'Hello?' she asked, forcing a pleasant tone.

'Don't Hello me in that fake tone, is everything alright?' Gail asked, unable to hide the concern from her voice as she had sensed the unease stirring within her cousin.

Merlyn let out a long relieved breath when she realised they were still connected and leaned on the fence of a nearby house she was passing. 'I'm fine' she lied, 'How come y'all upped and left so suddenly?'

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'Hell if I know. You think this was my choice? Lucas sprung it on me last minute and you weren't in the office when I swung by to tell you' she explained.

Merlyn rolled her eyes at her own stupidity of believing she had been forgotten about and glanced down the road. 'I just wanted to get away for a bit, I came to find you' she shrugged, not liking her sudden need to explain herself.

Gail sensed there was something bothering her cousin and cursed herself for allowing Lucas to drag her away. 'You listen now, if you need me just jump in a cab to Bower's Creek and I'm here, I don't care about the cost. You'd probably be doing me a favour rather than leaving me up here with my present company' she stated, unable to hide her frustration.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head, it appeared Lucas wanted family time for a reason and she would not come between that.

'You are family' Gail said, reading her mind and shifting the phone to her other ear. 'If you insist on being stubborn and working through whatever's bothering you on your own, I've got a few tasks I wan't you complete. Can you do that for me?'

Merlyn stood up straight and began walking down the road again. 'I can if I can find a cab outta Goat Town' she advised, realising no cars had past her in this secluded part of Town for the last 15 minutes.

'Don't worry about that, it's all in Goat Town anyway. Adam's around at Miller's Bookstore, go find him and he'll let you know what I need' she ordered, then walked away from the group when she spotted Lucas watching her closely and whispered quietly. 'This is just for us, no telling Lucas'

Merlyn laughed at the comment and ran her finger through her hair. 'I ain't the one who married the man...I know where my loyalties lie cousin' she joked and hung up the telephone then went to find Adam, feeling better about her position with her family.

* * *

Lucas walked casually down to the rivers edge with Caleb by his side and Ben following close behind with Ben Jr. He had decided to get this show on the road and risked a glance over his shoulder to check on his love, as he still sensed her irritation at being dragged here. He smiled when she rolled her eyes at whatever Rita was attempting to engage her in and pulled her tongue out at him playfully.

Gail had insisted on unpacking their things on her own when he had confiscated her mobile telephone, not wanting her to have any outside interruptions on their vacation. He knew she had only been talking to Merlyn and he supposed he could have allowed her more time to collect the girl, given the hard time he had forced on Merlyn in the past; however, he wanted his family all to himself and it had worked out well that the girl had chosen today to have a crisis about her identity.

Lucas had grown fond of Merlyn, she had been the catalyst that freed Caleb for the taking and brought Gail back to Trinity. He still was not impressed that she had managed to piggy back on the soul of his unborn child, unsure of how Gail had managed that one when she had not been aware of her darkness at the time; however, that was not Merlyn's doing and he supposed some good should come out of that messy situation. Regardless of how she became whole again, he had granted her a second chance and the girl was smart enough not to use it to defy him, that in itself deserved a reward considering how much he had tortured her previously.

He sensed Gail's concern for her cousin, their bond was stronger than she cared to share with him and he wondered whether this was due to how the girl had come back to life, or the strong female lineage they shared. Both of their mothers shared something unique, he had craved both of them at one time in his past; however, they had been missing something that he did not understand until Gail returned. He suspected his past connection with her dark self could have spread through their family line and caused the strong connection he had felt to Judith, but who knew. He was just glad that they all appeared to be getting along as they should.

As if sensing his thoughts Gail turned towards him and shook her head disapprovingly, Lucas caught sight of the gesture and bowed gentlemanly before laughing to himself at her clear frustration at being trapped here with them.

'Is she mad at us?' Caleb asked curiously, when he spotted his father laughing and glanced back to see what had caused the apparent unwarranted action.

Lucas turned his attention to Caleb and placed his hand on his shoulder affectionately. 'She's mad she was unable to remain in control of her day, not that she's here with us' he advised, sensing his sons curiosity.

'She seems mad at you a lot' Caleb shrugged, then turned and waved pleasantly at Gail to indicate he had done nothing wrong.

Lucas laughed and nodded, there was no denying that observation and the thought amused him. 'Women are complex creatures son, one minute they're happy as Larry and the next they're doubtin' everythin' in their path. You never come across that before?' he asked curiously, taking this time to delve into his sons psyche while they were in a small guarded area.

Caleb pondered on the question for a moment, then glanced up at his father. 'I guess Rose can be like that sometimes' he said, thinking back to the time when she was all for ridin' out to Johnson's Bridge, then snapped at him later on for takin' her far from home. 'Merly does that too'

Lucas smiled and squeezed his shoulder tight. 'The trick is to find somethin' to distract them from their mood swings, somethin' they can't truly deny that they crave no matter how hard they try'

'Is this really appropriate?' Ben asked, shaking his head at what he was hearing and hoping Ben Jr didn't catch on.

Lucas shot Ben a look of warning, then remembered why they were here and signalled for him to join them up front. 'Ben knows all to well about a woman's mood swings, don't you?' he asked, feigning sincerity.

Ben let out a long sigh at the question and glanced down at Ben Jr. 'Why don't you run ahead with Caleb and see if you two can pick us a good spot to set down' he suggested, then smiled when the boy heeded his instruction.

Lucas could have stepped in and stopped the boys from leaving, never understanding why Ben tried to shield them from real life; however, he chose to allow Ben to believe he had some control, they were all here because of him after all. 'I say somethin' you don't care for Benji?' he asked amused.

Ben inhaled deeply, spotting the mischievous look in Lucas' eyes and shook his head. 'I just don't want my boy askin' me stuff about girls until he's at least 25' he forced a wary smile, deciding the best course of action was to play along with them being away from the one person who appeared to be able to control his boss.

Lucas sensed his caution and his smile grew wider, Gail was too far back to interfere right now and Ben appeared smart enough to know it. 'Well, my boy already has a pretty little blonde in his sights and I couldn't be prouder...Imagine how it would look if he out performed your boy, with him being 2 years his senior' Lucas laughed and casually headed towards the boys, leaving Ben to contemplate his sons development.

Ben watched Lucas walk ahead and shook his head at his own stupidity for allowing this vacation to happen. He had no one to blame but himself for the obvious torture he sensed was coming his way.

* * *

Gail watched proudly as the older boys finished building the large campfire, with the assistance of the men and held Luke close to her chest. When Rita obediently gutted the fish they had caught earlier and Ben started cooking them on the campfire, Gail felt herself become nauseous and handed Luke to Caleb before heading away from the group.

Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves, including Rita. Gail had to listen to Rita ramble on about all the issues she was having with Ben while the men and the eldest children were fishing earlier, causing her brain to feel exhausted. She had no issues with Ben, he was her friend and she loved his honest oblivious behaviours, it was part of what convinced her to allow him into her inner circle in the first place; therefore, Rita's attempt to gain some support about the ill feelings she felt were wasted on her. She had no idea that it had gotten so bad with their relationship and she cursed Lucas for getting her involved in this.

'Oh come on, spendin' quality time with your family out here in the wilderness can't be that bad' Lucas whispered in her ear, as he sneaked up behind her and placed his hands on her hips.

'Get out of my head' she ordered and she pulled away from him abruptly, then moved further away from the camp not wanting any company right now.

Lucas sensed her hostility and allowed her to remain a few steps ahead of him, remembering what he had advised Caleb of earlier. 'It's not my intention to get inside your head love, I'd rather be inside a completely different part of you if I'm honest' he joked, then stopped for a moment confused at the insulted look she gave him.

Gail ran her fingers through her hair in exasperation, then stroked her delicate stomach. She was concerned about Merlyn and the nausea that she still felt at the smell of the fish was not helping her regain control of her emotions. 'Seriously, what is this? Is Peter going to show up with his family and it get leaked to the media to make it look like we're all on a one big happy family vacation? Or have you just brought me here to torture me for some cruel game that I'm unaware of?' she asked, frustrated at her inability to figure out his true play here.

Lucas stared at her for a moment, then closed the distance between them and stroked her back gently. 'No game, no torture, I just thought a break would do us all some good and help all parties involved. Is spendin' time with me really that terrible?' he asked in an offended tone.

Gail glanced over her shoulder at him and regarded him suspiciously, then saw the wounded look on his face and let out a disappointed sigh in herself. She reached for the hand that was caressing her back and moved it to her stomach, then leaned back into him and let out a small moan when he nuzzled into her neck. 'So you're telling me that this is just a break away from it all? Truthfully?' she asked quietly.

Lucas smiled when he sensed her acceptance and slowly lifted up her skirt, then pulled down her panties to allow him access to her. 'Well, I ain't gonna lie and say it'll be relaxin' the whole time Mrs Buck, but we'll certainly have some fun' he whispered in her ear, then nipped her neck playfully and unzipped his pants.

* * *

Caleb finished eating his fish and stared around the camp, wondering where his father and Gail had gotten to. He watched Izzy and Luke playing happily together with Ben Jr and decided his brother was distracted enough to allow him to find their parents; however, when he got up and started heading in the direction Lucas had gone, Ben grabbed his arm and gently pulled him back.

'You don't wanna go down there' Rita said sweetly, spotting the concerned look on Ben's face and knowing enough about Lucas and Gail's relationship to guess what they were up to. 'Why don't you stay here with us and we'll tell some ghost stories?'

'Yeah, I know a few things that'll make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up' Ben stated, in an attempt to keep the group together and hoped his friends would hurry up and rejoin them.

Caleb considered staying for a moment, then just shook his head and began wandering off. 'Nah, I just want some time to myself' he advised and headed in the opposite direction to his father, sensing that was alright.

When he got far enough from the camp to have some privacy, he let out a long sigh and sat down a large fallen branch. He wondered what Rose was doing right now and could not help but picture her pretty blonde hair blowing in the breeze.

'Don't tell me you're seriously smitten? You need to refocus your energy otherwise you'll end up like your father' a judgemental voice came from behind a nearby tree.

'Ain't nothin' wrong with my father' Caleb shrugged, unfazed by the unexpected visitor.

The figure stepped closer to Caleb and let out a grim laugh. 'Sneakin' away at every opportunity to follow her like a stray dog, performin' her every command like an obedient mutt...is that how you wanna end up son?' the dark figure asked.

'I ain't your son' Caleb advised and threw a twig aimlessly into the dirt in front of him.

'The way it's goin' they'll have so many children in wedlock that the illegitimate one will be forgotten. Who's son will you be then?' the voice asked, playing on Caleb's fears.

Caleb thought for a moment and felt his muscles tense when he considered the question. 'Why are you doin' this to me?' he snapped moodily; however, when he turned around to address the figure, he was nowhere to be found.

'Who you talkin' to son?' Lucas asked flatly, appearing beside Caleb on the large branch and staring at him suspiciously.

Caleb took in a sharp intake of breath and shook his head frantically. 'No one sir' he said quickly, then got up and rushed back towards the camp before his father could question him further.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Merlyn stood outside of the decaying Bookstore holding a large pad and a pen, staring up at the building blankly. She had found Adam yesterday like her cousin had ordered and he had given her instructions to review this property, stating Gail had brought his attention to this part of Goat Town before she left. Although it seemed like a strange request, she had been unable to sleep due to her intrigue with this task and had arrived here at 8am before the Bookstore opened.

Now that she was here, she had no idea what was required of her. She supposed this must be another building Gail wanted to renovate as part of her Goat Town project; however, she did not understand the instructions given to her or what purpose they could have.

'I ain't missed that blank look one bit' Abe laughed, as he approached Merlyn's position with Rocky by his side.

Merlyn glanced irritated at the old mans sudden appearance, then her eyes lit up when she saw Rocky. 'Come here boy!' she yelled excitedly and smiled when the dog bounced quickly towards her, then licked her face playfully.

'I ain't had that much action in years' Abe smiled, then tugged on the long lead in an attempt to regain control of the large dog.

'I would've took him you know? I didn't realise you were stuck with him' Merlyn advised as she stroked Rocky.

'I ain't stuck with nothin'. The mutt keeps me company while my Rosie ain't around and he's fine' Abe stated, then glanced up at the ugly building that she had been staring at and let out a long sigh.

Merlyn spotted Abe's curiosity and stood up. 'Gail wants me to do somethin' with this...I ain't got a clue' she said honestly and placed her hands on her hips in frustration.

Abe stared at the building, then looked at Merlyn and glanced over his shoulder at the other properties in the area. His eyes rested on a roof that stood out behind the other buildings and let out a small laugh. 'Either you're blind or stupid girl, I'm hopin' it ain't the latter' Abe advised and started casually walking past her.

Merlyn looked at him offended for a moment, then grabbed his arm gently so he came to a stop. 'I ain't either you miserable ol' man, now spit out what you know' she ordered, feigning a scolding tone.

Abe let out a loud laugh and shook his head, he had missed this sassy young girl and was happy she had shown her face two days in a row. 'My Rosie does love her books' he said and stared at the girl expectantly.

Merlyn regarded him confused for a moment, then rolled her eyes. 'Of course she loves books, that's why she hides herself away in that Wicca Store at every spare moment she has, the material she has at her disposal intrigues her' she sighed, not understanding the reference.

'Yes she does, a place full of unique readin' material that she can have her fill of whenever she wants, not just some ol' Bookstore' Abe nodded and reached down to stroke Rocky. 'She loves her writin' too you know?'

'Yes I know, she's a Reporter' Merlyn said impatiently, crossing her arms moodily over her chest.

Abe laughed at the girls impatience and shook his head. 'If you raised your head from your own self pity for a few seconds, you'd realise my Rosie ain't got any need for a bland Bookstore, or an apprentice' he advised, growing bored of the conversation.

Merlyn thought for a moment, then dropped her arms to her side. 'Why would Adam send me here then?' she asked rhetorically and began staring down the street curiously.

''Cause he knows how to follow orders and Rosie told him too. Now, I know all to well how hard you and my Rosie find it to follow simple instructions' Abe smiled, then squeezed her shoulder affectionately before heading back on his way to his Antique Store.

Merlyn watched him go more confused than ever, then let out a long sigh and surveyed her surroundings instinctively. She was about the give up on this cryptic task when her eyes fell on a street sign half way down the road that she recognised and her mouth dropped open. She walked slowly towards the street sign and found herself close to the only place in this Town that she felt a true connection to.

She could not believe she had allowed so long to pass before returning here, the place always brought her clarity and eased her worries. As she began to walk towards her sanctuary, she spotted a small girl in a dirty ripped dress sitting on the old wooden steps. A sudden feeling of warmth flooded through her and she made her way to the small girl, forgetting about the Bookstore and everything else that she had previously been so focused on.

* * *

Gail awoke to Luke snuggled into her chest and Lucas' arm wrapped protectively around them both. She smiled at her boys lovingly, then gently shifted Luke so he was resting on Lucas and carefully got out of the bed, ensuring she did not wake either of them. She slipped on her sandals and tied her hair loosely in a bun at the top of her head as she exited the cabin, then gave a big stretch and took in the fresh morning air, not concerned that she was still in her short nightdress.

She would not admit it to Lucas, but this change of scenery was doing her the world of good. There were no cars, no people, no other disturbances to take her attention away from her family and this secluded place was actually making her feel at ease for the first time since she had discovered that she was pregnant. Her thoughts tried to wander to her suspicions about the male Buck lineage and what that would mean for the little girl growing inside of her; however, the sweet sound of birds singing all around her pushed away the unpleasant thoughts and she was left with a feeling of peace.

Gail saw Rita emerge from her cabin in her long baggy pyjama's and caught the coveting look she subconsciously gave her when she spotted Gail in her short silk nightdress. Gail smiled and waved pleasantly,ignoring Rita's jealousy and rushed off down the small trail that lead to the river, in an attempt to avoid any further conversation about the relationship issues or the postponed wedding that Rita was dealing with.

It was not that she disliked Rita, she had every respect for the woman who was with the man living in Lucas Buck's shadow; however, she was on Ben's side and was finding it hard to remain on the fence with it all. She had her own problems and she did not need to take on anyone else's, if Rita truly pressed her for advice she would not like what Gail had to say.

She inhaled the fresh morning air deep into her lungs and let out a long breath, as she casually strolled to the river and put Rita out of her mind. This place had a unique charm, not dissimilar from her secluded cabin and she had a sudden urge to explore. As she got closer to the river, she spotted a small figure sat hunched by the waters edge, she stared concerned for a moment when she recognised Caleb's striped pyjama's and approached him carefully.

'I don't want no company' Caleb advised quietly, sensing her presence near.

'Neither do I' Gail said pleasantly, disregarding his clear unease at her presence. and continued to move closer.

Caleb stared up at her confused for a moment and watched as she kicked off her sandals, placed her feet in the cool water in front of them then sat down beside him. They sat in silence for a few minutes, both staring into the water at the soft current and moving their feet in patterns, then Caleb let out a long sigh. 'Why'd you do it again?' he asked, not taking his eyes off of the water.

'Do what?' Gail asked confused, regarding him curiously.

'Have another baby' he shrugged, then picked up a twig and threw it into the water moodily. 'Ain't you got enough with me and Luke?'

Gail's mouth dropped open at the question, then she closed it again as she sensed that she needed to choose her answer carefully. 'You think I wanted any of this?' she asked him, monitoring his reactions carefully.

Caleb had felt something dark rising within him as soon as he sensed her presence close by and now it was halted by his visible confusion at the question. 'Why wouldn't you? You're havin' another one' he stated bluntly.

'I didn't even want you!' she exclaimed and laughed, attempting to lighten up the conversation; however, her smile faded when she saw the dark look in his eyes and she inhaled deeply to control her concern.

Suddenly she heard a low growl coming from her right and she turned around to see Gideon skulking towards them. She looked at Caleb, sensing the hatred radiating off of him and recognised the look he was giving her from when she had been alone with him after Lucas had died. That had not turned out well for her and her actions to his behaviour had resulted in her losing her first unborn child, which still devastated her to this day.

Gail's own darkness exploded through her surface and she felt herself being pushed to the back of her subconscious. This was clearly a way of protecting her; however, she refused to relapse to a time when she had been scared of her cousin and force herself to regain control, not accepting that anyone had any power over her but herself.

Caleb sensed her darkness instantly and his rage flew to the surface, he felt a sudden urge to lunge at her; however, Gideon placed himself beside his Master protectively and barred his teeth in warning of any attempt to make a move against her.

Gail inhaled deeply and stroked the large dogs back reassuringly, then smiled when he relaxed and lay down obediently beside her. Caleb's hatred was undeniable and she cursed herself for allowing him to withdraw from her this much, rather than discussing this matter straight away after her announcement to the whole Town. 'I love you you know?' she asked calmly, sensing him looking for an excuse to pounce and refusing to allow him to vilify her in his mind.

Caleb felt his rage falter for a moment and stared up at her with wide eyes. 'Then why have you done it?' he snapped, not understanding why she was trying to push him out.

'I've not done or planned anything Caleb, we're a family and it appears our family is growing' she said sweetly, then cautiously reached over Gideon for Caleb's hand and brought it to her stomach gently. 'This is your family too, you need to help me here'

Caleb stared deep into her eyes as he sensed the small energy growing within her and felt his rage dissipate. His dark feelings were still there; however, he was finding it hard to keep his anger directed at Gail.

Gail sensed his rage ease and stroked his hand when he allowed it to rest on her stomach. 'I never wanted this you know? I had everything I ever needed in Charleston and didn't care about a family, but then you came along and turned my world sideways' she smiled warmly, then stroked his cheek tenderly with her free hand.

Caleb let out a long breath as all his hatred for her disappeared, he could see the truth in her eyes and knew she had not done this as an act against him. He did not know why it was so easy for him to turn on her when all she appeared to do was try to help him and he was disappointed in himself for feeling the way he had.

Relief flowed through Gail when she sensed his focus shift from her and she leaned, then placed a soft kiss on his forehead. She held his head to her chest reassuringly and stroked his cheek like a mother would, to show that he could not do anything to make her truly mad at him. Before she had a chance to express his importance to her vocally, she sensed an intrusion and stood up causally. 'Play nice' she advised him as she dusted off her nightdress, then signalled behind her when Caleb stared up at her with confusion.

Caleb had been enjoying the closeness more than he ever could have expressed and cursed Ben Jr for taking it away; however, he forced a smile when the boy approach them, knowing Gail had adjusted her demeanour to ensure the older boy thought nothing was out of place.

Gail glanced at Caleb cautiously and smiled when he nodded, to indicate that he would be fine if she left them. She reached down and squeezed his shoulder affectionately, then reluctantly headed back towards the camp and left the boys to themselves hoping the distraction would do Caleb some good.

* * *

Ben walked down the small trail holding a large cooler, then reached in when he spotted his friend under a large tree and pulled out a cold beer. He had to admit that although he had previously had reservations about coming here, Rita had been in a better mood due to them spending time with actual adults and getting away from their usual routine. He did not know how Lucas did it, but the man seemed to know what women wanted.

'You remember that the next time I suggest somethin' and you think it's a trick' Lucas said, reading his mind and accepting the beer graciously.

Ben stared at him cautiously for a moment, then let out a small laugh and chose to disregard the comment. 'I don't know what you did but the girls are up there plannin' the weddin' and Rita even suggested a honeymoon without the kids' Ben smiled, not remembering the last time they actually spent time together alone.

Lucas laughed and patted his Deputy on the shoulder, he knew Gail would find a way to make Rita see what she truly had and was proud that his wife had accomplished results so quickly. 'See, just trust the man with the star' he smiled and held up his beer knowingly.

'Or trust his genius wife who took charge without any complaint' Ben laughed and took a sip of his beer. 'How's she holdin' up with the pregnancy?'

Lucas inhaled deeply and too a long sip of his beer. 'She's holdin' up' he shrugged, not wanting to talk about the subject that he wasn't even allowed to discuss with his wife. 'How's Ben Jr doin' away from his Momma?'

Ben glance over at the boys playing further down in the river and smiled proudly. 'Since Izzy came along, Ben Jr's been spendin' more time with us. I guess he loves havin' a bigger family' he advised and leaned against the large tree.

Lucas wished Caleb was so easily swayed by his family, the boy seemed to be pushing further away at the thought of their family expanding. 'Go to your wife' Lucas ordered casually, sensing Rita's sudden desire and winked at Ben to indicate it would be worth his while.

Ben stared at Lucas confused for a moment, then rushed back towards the cabin when he realised what he was insinuating.

Lucas admired his wife's ability to guide other women to her will. It was infuriating when she used her powers of persuasion on Selena; however, convincing Rita to perform her duties eagerly would only make his work life more bearable with Ben, so he applauded Gail's instinct to assist him without him having to ask her to.

'That's what a relationship is, a partnership' Gail stated, as she left Izzy and Luke securely in their pushchairs then came behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

'And our partnership is strong, although it'd be stronger if you were honest about your discussions with my son' Lucas advised and glanced over his shoulder at her knowingly.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head. 'Our son' she corrected sweetly, 'and it's not my fault he isn't confiding in you. To be fair, I had to force him to talk to me and that was only to prevent an unfortunate incident'

'Well all you've managed to do is switch the target love' Lucas advised and grinned devilishly as he stared out into the river.

'What do you mean?' Gail asked confused, then allowed Lucas to take hold of her and push her gently in front of him. She followed his line of sight and spotted Caleb in the water alone. She smiled at her cousin playing peacefully, then realised he was supposed to be with Ben Jr and focused on what he was doing. Terror hit her when she realised Caleb was holding Ben Jr's head under the water and not allowing him up, she lunged forward to assist the older boy; however, Lucas gripped her tight and pulled her back into him.

'Shush love, this needs to play out or that rage of his will redirect to it's true target' he whispered in her ear and held her in place effortlessly.

Gail felt her own darkness holding her back, knowing she was the true object of Caleb's rage and watched helplessly as Ben Jr's arms started to become limp. She closed her eyes at her own stupidity of not seeing this coming and leaned back into her husband instinctively, realising she did not have the power to control Caleb's rage. 'I'm asking you, stop this now' she pleaded quietly, knowing her own darkness would be happy to shift the focus off of her unborn child and this innocent boy to take the fall.

Lucas watched his son proudly, then heard the sorrow in his love's voice and gently moved her to one side. He had no problem with how this was playing out, the boy was a Buck and if he could not reach his true target then it was acceptable to find a release in another form; however, Gail's unease was unsettling and there was a part of him that could not allow her to feel such sorrow. Lucas let out a long sigh then rushed closer to Caleb and stood tall, allowing the boy to feel his dominant presence.

Caleb stared at him defiantly from his position in the river for a moment, not willing to let go of the exciting feeling of the impending release; however, he sensed his fathers rage beneath his cool exterior and knew he could not challenge his elder yet; therefore, he rolled his eyes and released Ben Jr, before wading out of the water and walking away from the older boy.

When Ben Jr returned to the riverbank coughing and spluttering, Lucas placed his hands on his shoulders and stared deep into his eyes. 'You're fine son, you just swallowed some water while playin'. Go to my wife now, she'll take care of you' he ordered and smiled when he felt the boys memory of what really happened disappear.

Gail nodded her thanks towards Lucas, then placed her arms protectively around Ben Jr and began to check him out to ensure that no real damage had been caused by the incident.

Lucas smiled towards his wife, forgetting his initial acceptance of his son's questionable behaviour and savouring Gail's faith in him, as it was not something she usually displayed. Suddenly he sensed a dark presence close by and spotted Caleb lurking under a near by tree. He took a step back at the look of hatred in Caleb's eyes, then watched irritated as his son walked away further downstream.

Lucas inhaled deeply at the boys foolish courage, then headed upstream away from his current party to allow himself some space to ponder over his sons behaviour.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail watched carefully as Caleb placed their bags into the large boot of Lucas' Crown Victoria, Lucas had tried to convince her that the incident with Ben Jr was nothing to be concerned about; however, Gideon's continued presence and the sick feeling in her gut told her otherwise.

After she had returned to the camp with Ben Jr, her instinct was to run as far from the threat as possible to protect her unborn child. She had started packing hers and Luke's things as she was not willing to leave her son here, when she looked out of the window and saw Caleb in the distance staring at the water. Gail realised at that moment she could not just abandon Caleb to his darkness and decided that she was not going to run from him; however, she did not want any of them out in this secluded place with Caleb's dark urges, for his sake as well as everyone else's.

When she informed Lucas of her decision for them to leave, he had refused and attempted to convince her to his will; however, she made it clear that her mind was already made up and if he wanted to stay here without his family, she could find someone else to entertain her in his absence. Although her husband was not impressed with her threat, he agreed to her wishes in order to appease her and he was now securing Luke in his car seat for the long journey ahead.

'Are you sure we can't convince you to stay?' Rita pleased, not wanting her to leave.

Gail turned towards her and forced a warm smile. 'I don't think my stomach can take the smell of raw fish guts any longer' she advised and stroked Rita's arm to indicate that she would be fine.

'It's a shame you ain't feelin' so hot, that little devil in you needs to give you a break' Ben joked, then went to assist Caleb with the bags.

'Will you be ok with Ben Jr?' Gail asked Rita, concerned for the poor boy after his ordeal.

Rita shot Ben Jr a quick glance, then just smiled and nodded. 'He's been awful quiet since comin' back from the river earlier, he must've really tired himself out'

Gail stared at Ben Jr apologetically, then caught her husband watching her intently and headed to the front passenger side of the car.

'Y'all don't do anythin' we wouldn't' Lucas warned sarcastically and shot his Deputy a knowing wink, before finishing off securing Luke's car seat and entering the drivers side.

Gail waited for Caleb to put on his seat belt, then indicated for Lucas to get them away from this place and waved pleasantly at the family they were leaving.

'We coulda stayed longer' Caleb said quietly, staring out of the window in a daze.

Gail turned towards Lucas, concerned about the lack of emotion Caleb was showing, then rolled her eyes when Lucas shrugged off her concern.

'If certain people behaved like they should, your cousin wouldn't have felt the need to abandon a perfectly safe vacation' Lucas said disapprovingly, not impressed at their departure.

'I thought the baby caused my Step Mom to wanna leave' Caleb stated, challenging the title Lucas used for Gail and regarded his father coldly.

'The baby has done nothing, now will you both shut up and allow us to have a peaceful journey home' Gail snapped, unimpressed with the both of them and reaching back to stroke Luke's leg reassuringly when he began to cry at her tone.

Lucas stared irritated at Caleb through the rear view mirror then let out a long sigh and switched on the radio, sensing it was going to be a long drive home.

* * *

Merlyn leaned over the muddy step and pulled the brush over it hard, in an attempt to make the outside of the property look fairly presentable. She was nervous, she had not stopped cleaning this place after she had made her decision and just hoped Adam would consider her proposal fully before making a rash decision to turn it down.

'And here I was assuming the girl with the biggest office was out findin' a good story' Christie stated, as she approached Merlyn and regarded the old property warily.

'And here I was thinking you'd got over your jealousy of the girl with the biggest office' Gail said sarcastically, as she approached the pair casually. The tension in the car on the way back had been unbearable; therefore, she had made Lucas drop her off at Abe's Antique Store, to get some much needed normality back into her life.

Merlyn had not expected to see her cousin for another 2 days and rushed over in excitement to hug her, unable to hide her enthusiasm at her return.

'Awww, what a lovely family moment' Christie said sweetly, then held her fingers to her mouth and made a vomiting gesture.

Gail shot her a warning glance, then turned her attention to Merlyn. 'You look drained, are you alright?'

'You're one to talk' Merlyn retorted, noting her cousins gaunt appearance and reached in her pocket for a chocolate bar.

Gail rolled her eyes at the girls concern for her and took the chocolate bar from her, nodding her thanks.

'Busy vacation?' Christie asked curiously, concerned at her early appearance.

'In more ways than one' Gail laughed, then signalled for Christie to leave them for a moment and turned her attention towards Merlyn. 'Seriously, what are you doing here?'

Merlyn regarded her cousin confused for a moment and took a step back. 'I thought you wanted me to come here, I got Adam to look inside and I've asked him if he could help fund...'

'Wow, you work quicker than I do' Gail interrupted, surprised at her cousins drive when she actually put her mind to something. 'It's a shame you couldn't put that initiative into the job I got you'

Merlyn felt herself becoming anxious and turned away from her cousin, ashamed that she had failed in her task to report on the news.

'Oh behave, I'm just kidding. I sensed you were lost and expected you to make a small connection with the location of the Bookstore, but I didn't think you'd go full pelt without backup. There may still be hope for you yet' Gail said amused, admiring her cousins initiative and happy that there was one less task for her to complete herself.

'You're not mad at me for abandoning my post?' Merlyn asked nervously.

'My post' Gail corrected her reassuringly, 'And that was just a temporary role to get you out into the public, so you could figure out what you wanted to do. I'm proud you managed to stick it out for so long, I had you pegged for a month' she laughed.

'Well this is a surprise, hey friend' Adam interrupted as he exited the building, curious of his friends sudden appearance. 'Couldn't be apart from me any longer?' he asked sarcastically.

'Say that in front of my husband, I dare you' Gail goaded, then smiled warmly at him.

Adam quickly glanced around the area, suddenly aware that they may not be alone; however, the Sheriff was nowhere to be found and he let out a sigh of relief. 'This place sure needs a good overhaul' he said to the young girl who had requested his presence here and tried to think of a way to let her down gently.

'An overhaul that could benefit a certain campaign' Gail added, when she spotted the look of fear on Merlyn's face and sensed Adam's decision about her proposal.

'How so?' Adam asked, confused at why the sales pitch had switched from the young girl to his friend.

Gail spotted a movement in the corner of her eyes, then smiled when she sensed a young girl hiding behind a dumpster. She opened the chocolate bar Merlyn had provided her with and snapped of a small piece for herself, then held out the remainder and waited patiently. 'Do you know what this place was once?' Gail asked Adam, unfazed by his lack of interest in this property.

'A sanctuary' Merlyn answered happily, when Adam just shook his head.

'That's right' Gail said and smiled when she felt the remainder of the chocolate bar being gently removed from her grasp by the young girl who had been hiding. 'Children who had no other place to go would come here and my Aunt Judy would look after them the best she could' she explained, fondly remembering this place in it's prime.

'And you think a young girl who can't even commit to a position created for her in a highly regarded newspaper could take on that kind of responsibility?' he asked in disbelief, regarding Merlyn carefully.

Gail glanced down at the pretty young girl beside her, then instinctively stroked her stomach. 'I think my cousin has the potential to rule the world' she laughed sarcastically and turned her full attention to Adam. 'And I'm just a few streets over with and old man who has all the spare time in the world, should any issues arise'

Adam regarded Gail carefully, concerned of yet another project that she should not be taking on in her delicate position.

'I'm not a Reporter, but I put my all into it...this is what I was born to do, this place needs to be here and it's about time someone picked up the slack around here' Merlyn stated, finally finding her voice on the matter.

'It'll also do wonders for your polls when the people of Trinity witness their candidate for Mayor chipping in to make a place like this work, much to Peters and my husbands annoyance I'm sure' Gail added, sensing Adams doubts.

Adam thought for a moment, then laughed and shook his head. 'It's bad enough arguing with one of you, throw in a second and I'm yours for the takin'' he joked and nodded his support towards the brave girl who would be heading this project.

Gail smiled at Merlyn proudly, she could not believe there had been something positive that had come out of Caleb's behaviour forcing their early return to Town and she hoped her boys were fairing as well as she was.

* * *

Lucas watched Caleb through his bedroom window curiously, as he wandered around the side of the property and out of his line of vision. He had sensed the boy's disdain for him for the whole journey back and had been happy when Gail decided to leave them alone, regardless of the mischief he sensed that she was causing for his campaign. He respected her for not running from their family issues and knowing that he needed to tackle this issue without her interference, her understanding of her place made him value her even more.

Caleb was his original heir and still was, he was proud of how his eldest was turning out and that he required little pressure to embrace his true self; however, this disobedience due to a new addition to their family was unacceptable and it would not go unchallenged. Caleb needed to learn his place and Lucas would not allow him to believe for a second that he was untouchable.

Lucas entered his walk in wardrobe and headed towards the back of the property through the hidden passages in his home. To a stranger, this property was like a labyrinth and to those unworthy of it's respect, it could be a tomb; however, Lucas was the Master here and the only other person who dared enter the forbidden depths of his home appeared to have a strong connection here like he did, making Gail worth the effort in protecting at all costs.

It would be easier if she was just a vessel like his previous mates, he could have discarded her at any time to save the disruption to his eldest sons learning; however, she had been a part of this before Caleb was conceived, much to both of their surprise and what she was carrying was all theirs, meaning Caleb needed to step in line.

The large backdoor creaked open on it's own when Lucas approached, allowing it's Master to leave the house and enter the back garden. Lucas rolled his eyes in irritation when he spotted the old fountain which he had been meaning to fix up for his love; however, he kept forgetting due to other commitments. He shook his head at how easily distracted he had been of late and vowed to focus on his property more, now that his family was expanding again.

'Try focusin' on your eldest first, he is the important one after all' came a familiar voice from the shadows of the garden and Lucas closed his eyes in frustration.

'So this was you? You're brave for a man who fled from a woman's threat the other month' Lucas goaded, wanting the man to show his presence fully.

The voice laughed grimly and came from a different direction. 'You're playin' with fire boy, there's only so much tradition you can break' it warned.

Lucas laughed and shook his head, amused at the mans belief that he could actually cause a threat. 'I was never one to follow the crowd, you know that otherwise your actions with my Mother would've gone unpunished' he advised smugly, surveying the area for the location of the voice.

'How long can your actions go unpunished?' Caleb asked in a confident tone, walking towards his Father.

Lucas spotted Caleb instantly and sensed the rage flowing through him. 'You think you're ready to challenge me boy?' he asked amused.

'I think he's ready to lessen the litter' the voice cackled, then screamed when Gideon appeared out of nowhere and lunged at it's shadow.

Caleb turned abruptly towards the high pitched sound, then backed away slowly when Gideon began to stalk him after causing the previous presence to flee.

Lucas sensed the dogs intentions and placed himself between Gideon and his son, not making any sudden movements. 'You see that son, there's more than us at play here...the next time you wanna take on your peers, be ready for the rabble' he warned and glanced up at the sky where his ravens had been circling, ready to bound down on either Caleb or Gideon if the wrong move was made.

Caleb looked up at the murder of crows and stared at them with wide frightened eyes. He felt his rage lessen then risked a glance towards Gideon and the dog appeared to calm when his rage disappeared.

Lucas sensed the imminent threat in his son disappear and let out a long sigh. 'You need to get a handle on your urges son and if you ever think of teamin' up with anyone but me, I'd have a long think about who's really in charge in my Town' he warned, then headed towards the backdoor and left Caleb with Gideon to think about what he had done.

* * *

Gail entered her large home holding Luke's car seat under her arm with him in it. She thought Lucas would have met her in the driveway considering how late it had gotten; however, the main area of the house appeared deserted.

Gail headed towards the main Study and sensed eyes on her, she turned around and peered up to see Caleb watching her from the top of the stairs. 'You sort out what you needed to with your Father?' she asked expectantly, not allowing his sudden presence to spook her.

Caleb regarded her carefully for a moment, then just shrugged and headed back to his room.

Gail inhaled deeply at his exasperating behaviour and released Luke from his car seat, then held him securely to her hip not wanting to leave him with his brother. 'I guess we're the only sane ones in the nut house' she joked to her son, smiling when he laughed and started tugging at hair. She decided to head towards the restricted area of the property, sensing her husband deep within the labyrinth and hoped he had gotten a handle on Caleb.

As she walked down the long corridors and disregarded some of the doors that appeared to open by themselves, she thought about her past self and how she had slept under this roof for so long without knowing the portrait of her existed here. Had she have awoken and wandered around alone one night before Lucas had her firmly in his clutches, she may have stumbled across the discovery and fled as she used to do when things became complicated; however, by the time she found out about their true connection, it was already too late for her. She supposed she didn't mind that he had trapped her, there were worse places that she could be.

A door ahead quietly creaked open and Gail sensed Lucas instantly, when she peered discreetly around the open door she smiled at her husband with his head in a book and entered the room. 'And here I was thinking that I was the scholar of the family' she joked, then her smile faded when he did not return her amusement. 'What's wrong?' she asked concerned, placing Luke on the floor near a large empty box and approached her husband cautiously.

Lucas let out a long breath when his wife made her presence known, he had been in this Library for some time now and had forgone all notion of time. 'Where's Caleb?' he asked, disregarding her question.

'In his room, why?' she asked, curious of his detached demeanour.

'Question for a question, you've got your cool Reporter detachment workin' overtime' he stated flatly, not taking his eyes off the book he was reading.

Gail regarded him cautiously for a moment, sensing a strange aura radiating off of him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder. 'I could say the same about you...talk to me' she requested, not liking his uncharacteristic hostility towards her.

'About what? Your inability to distance yourself from your project with Adam for a few days? Or your insistence on gettin' the upper hand on me while I'm workin' to fix our family?' Lucas asked knowingly, then shoved the book forward on the table in frustration and stood up abruptly.

Gail watched as Luke jumped at his Fathers sudden movement and felt herself becoming angry. 'You're the one who loves games, I'm just doing what I have to in order to keep afloat...what the hell are you attacking me for?' she asked, confused and hurt at his sudden anger towards her.

Lucas knew everything that went on in his Town and sensed she had made headway with Adam through Merlyn when his mind settled after the incident in the backyard. He was furious at her tactics when he had been distracted; however, when he turned around to scold her, he saw the wounded look on her face and inhaled deeply to control his anger. 'I'm not mad at you really' he sighed in frustration, then let out a small laugh when Luke climbed in the box that had previously held a lot of old books and got himself trapped.

Gail watched as Lucas' attention turned towards their son and took his hands in hers when he went to free him. 'You really mustn't be yourself, throwing away an opportunity when your son is busying himself in a secure area' she teased and held the back of her hand up to his forehead, pretending to take his temperature.

Lucas spotted the mischievous look in her eyes and glanced at Luke to ensure he was actually safely secured in the open box. 'I've had a long day...' he started.

'Well then let me get right on with helping you unwind Master Buck' she smiled seductively and pushed him to the table, then knelt down where Luke could not see her and unzipped his pants slowly.

Lucas stared down at the unexpected actions and stroked her head affectionately, before letting out a loud moan when she took him into her mouth. He felt her smile at his reaction and tangled his hands in her hair. 'Plannin' things behind my back...you have been a bad girl haven't you Mrs Buck?' he whispered, unimpressed that she had used his distraction with Caleb to instigate something with Adam.

Gail released his manhood momentarily and stared up at him sweetly, feigning innocence. 'You may have idea what I'm doing, but I can assure you I'll do it right in front of your face Master Buck' she whispered and gave him a devilish grin, before taking him back into her mouth and sucking.

Lucas leaned back and gripped the sides of the table, savouring the feel of her mouth around his manhood. The intense pleasure she was giving him was exquisite and he bit his bottom lip hard to stifle his call when he exploded in her mouth.

Gail swallowed hard and licked his excess fluid from around her mouth, then allowed him to pull her up and push her down onto the table. 'Careful Master Buck, you don't want to hurt a girl in such a delicate condition do you?' she scolded, feigning vulnerability.

Lucas parted her legs and ripped off her panties, then thrust his hard manhood inside of her and began pounding in and out of her. Suddenly concern flowed through him and he cupped her chin in his hand, then gently pulled her closer and stared deep into her eyes. 'I'm not my Father' he informed her and stroked her cheek tenderly.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him confused, then reached for his behind and pulled him deeper inside. 'Like chalk and cheese soulmate, chalk and cheese' she assured him, then smiled when he came back to her and began thrusting in and out of her. She did not know what had caused the remark which Lucas appeared to have instantly forgotten; however, she did not like the comment and it caused something dark to stir deep within her.

* * *

Caleb stared down into the deserted garden before him, searching the shadows frantically. He let out a long sigh of relief and smiled grimly when his eyes rested on a tree at the edge of the property, then opened the window to welcome the presence he had become accustomed to in.

-The End-


End file.
